It is hard to imagine life without blogging as it is not only a way to express oneself but also a source of income for many. Nevertheless, it is important to use the right tools and platforms to ensure that the lucrative activity of blogging becomes less demanding. Indeed, blogging is exhaustive; creating new content, interacting with the target audience and sometimes maintaining technical issues takes effort. Fortunately, today there are many blogging systems that are easy to use with features such as drag and drop designing, easy publishing and analytics among other built-in capabilities.
So, in selecting a blogging site, there are many factors of great importance that one has to consider. For instance, as a newbie, one may opt for a simple and user frying platform but will not be ordered to do so in the long run. One should look for a system that offers the scope of layout customization, development of the platform, ways of earning from it, its portability. In addition, as your blog business grows, you will need a system that can handle increased traffic, that allows you to add new elements and that enables you to monetize the blog content.
To ensure that you develop a suitable website as per your needs and objectives, below is a list of the most popular blogging sites arranged in alphabetical order along with a brief description on each of them. Such goals have largely been the reason behind the success of their blogs as everyone has a target market or content that they prefer.
1. Blogger (Offered by Google)
Pyra Labs created Blogger in August 1999 and Google took control of the platform in 2003. This platform is one of the older and popular blogging platforms, and is replete with an overly ambitious approach towards non-technical users. Blogger required some understanding of coding in its beginning. But after acquiring the service, Google made the system more user-friendly to allow the average Joe to use it seamlessly. It has its own core features, and users can choose some ready-made designs or apply some HTML and CSS knowledge to change the provided designs. It has improved over the years by providing mobility, integration with other Google products, and introducing user-friendly statistical components. For individuals who want to set up a blog but do not need any advanced features, Blogger offers free services.
2. Blot
Founded in 2014, Blot is a bare-bones blogging platform that differs from its counterparts in that it allows users to blog from Dropbox. Instead of introducing a CMS to users, Blot uses the user’s Dropbox as the source of content. Users simply have to create a folder on their Dropbox, and whatever they put in that folder (text, images, and even Markdown files) appears on their Blot blog without them having to do anything else. Simplicity is what people value Blot for, as it offers a no-code design with no extra effort other than configuring Dropbox. The main offering is the ease of assimilating the guiding principles of blogging into the general principles of managing files.
3. Exposure
Exposure is an online platform that allows creating blog posts for all visual correspondences in an easy way in 4 steps. Which was unveiled to the public in the year 2013. Instead of considering it a normal blogging site where word content dominates, this particular platform encourages the user to use large and clear photos more suitable for activities like travel logs, art galleries or career photographers where images are the core of the content. Exposure Hybrid has a membership type where users are allowed to post beautiful and engaging photo stories. It has simple designs with one focus – allowing the author to express themselves visually. The wunderschönen and straightforward interface made this tool even more popular among agents who were looking for the perfect place to put their works.
4. Ghost
One of the notable options for creating blogs is Ghost, which was created in 2013 as a more up-to-date version of WordPress but only for content creators. The platform is well accepted by users as this software building block is based on the latest and most robust server-side coding scheme known as Node.js framework which performs better than WordPress built on the traditional platform of PHP based programming code. The significant drawback with these frequently available sites is that they can be built to host blogs and eCommerce in the same way. Ghost is a pure blogging platform designed for writing and publishing without any other functionality. It offers these capabilities as both self-hosted and fully hosted services. Apart from enterprise features, it has a clean interface that is suitable for users who do not want to deal with the complexity of multipurpose solutions. Users can modify and extend Ghost, however, it is still a fairly typical blogging software.
5. Joomla
Joomla was released to the public in 2005 and instantly gained popularity as one of the leading CMS platforms, often referred to as the best content management system after WordPress. Joomla is free to use and includes additional features that target the more technically proficient segments of the market. While Joomla is certainly more advanced than Blogger or WordPress.com, it is optimized instead of simply allowing rich-content sites like forums, memberships, and even e-commerce websites. The extensibility and versatility of the CMS allows it to serve small personal blogs as well as large business websites. Joomla’s vibrant and active community regularly provides updates, bug fixes, and security releases.
6. Known
Introduced in 2014, Known is a social blogging network that focuses on the microblogging principle, where one is free to publish not only text but also notes, photos, videos, audio, and other content. Its functionality attempts to combine personal blogs and social networks. Users can also make short updates which their followers can comment on, like and share. Known also allows its users to connect to other social networks which means posts can be published on as many networks as possible such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. For minimalists who don’t like much fuss, the concise and simple version of the service will be appreciated.
7. Mediavine
Mediavine is a popular content creation platform, launched in 2012 by Twitter co-founder Evan Williams. It is worth noting that everyone can write on Medium and furthermore, writers on it can write occasionally and summarize their writings into organized topics, making it possible for them to expand their reach without having to develop their own traffic. The site is easy to use and offers something Blogger doesn’t offer to readers who don’t like the hassles that come with setting up and running a website. Writers can also make money using Medium, this is through the Medium Partner Program, which is calculated based on how many readers someone has and how engaging those readers are.
8. Postach.io
The Postach.io site is a comparatively new blogging platform that is seen as an extension of Evernote and made available to the public in 2013. Its main advantage is the ability to convert notes created in Evernote into blog posts. Users simply enter their content into Evernote and label it “Published” and Postach.io does the rest. It is a great application for those who already know Evernote as their single note application and want to redefine their notes into a blog without having to copy or reformat anything. Postach.io is also classy in terms of features as it allows users to change themes while maintaining a clean work space for writers who don’t want distractions – pleasing typography and design and no complications.
9. RebelMouse
RebelMouse is a social media management system founded in 2012, which has today transformed into a content management system. The original purpose was for users to create dynamic web pages by pulling social content from various sources. The good news for amateurs and professionals in the business of storytelling, marketing or even publishing is that this platform has evolved into such a powerful structure. Hence its demand remains high especially for organizations like media, advertisers and celebrities who want to integrate digital engagement with other activities. It integrates social feeds, user-generated content and reporting, thus making it suitable for sites that are highly dynamic and content-rich. As attested by many users, this platform is flexible in design and expandable in features, which is crucial for its fascinating innovations in engagement and delivery.
10. Squarespace
The company was founded in 2003 and is now considered the leading website building engine. The company has been praised for providing its customers with great templates and ease of use. Although it is largely regarded as just a full-fledged website-building application, Squarespace also has additional blogging features for use, allowing professional-looking blogs to be designed using simple drag and drop tools. This engages users who require advanced and detailed aesthetics without having to get into any coding skills. This platform bundles hosting, domain, and editing which is ideal for those who want a great website and blog in one place without the hassle of dealing with the backend.
11. Silverback
Silverback is an unusual blogging site that was founded in 2013. Its approach is very basic as the user is only concerned with bringing pieces of work. This simple nature benefits writers who want to simplify themselves in the art of storytelling in writing and leave all the sophistication of design, flipping pages with recipes and the sophistication of plugins and their integration with websites aside. Silverback serves a completely different audience as it is quite simple and less burdened with features than WordPress, which some users prefer. This means it has some limitations in the way of markdown and design, so it is the best choice for those who want a very ‘clutter-free’ environment to publish their writing.
12. Soup
Creative writing has its own blog-cum-scrapbook site Soup, which originated in the year 2006. Being a user is an invitation to it being a bridge between Tumblr and Facebook that allows language, images, and film to be presented in short postings in a multitude of ways. . Soup serves its purpose for users who want to post short content, map content to webpages, and connect with fellow users in an engaging and engaging way. It doesn’t have the same popularity as other similar platforms, but it has its core users who respect it for its creative aspect and its mix of a CMS and a photo book.
13. Strikingly
Founded in the year 2012, Strikingly is a website building platform where users are assured of creating “stunningly” beautiful websites, capable of incorporating blogs, within minutes and without any coding knowledge. It has a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy for users to create beautiful sites in a short time. Strikingly is specifically optimized for individual users and small business owners who want easy-to-use, beautiful, mobile friendly web pages, especially landing pages. However, it is worth noting that while Strikingly is less complex than the ones like WordPress and Squarespace, it is more user-friendly as it has easy-to-navigate templates provided.
14. Tumblr
Tumblr was founded in 2007 by David Karp and in no time it became one of the most sought-after microblogging sites – a combination of a blog and social networking. Tumblr serves as a concise content sharing platform where text, images, GIFs, quotes and videos and many other such content can be uploaded by users. The site was also loved by young people as it was highly creative and allowed users to express themselves in many ways. With the introduction of such a personalized posting style and even the inclusion of following other users, Tumblr felt more of a social network than a simple blog sharing application. It has evolved over time under the ownership of different managing companies (owned by Yahoo in 2013, then bought by Automattic in 2019), but it has still managed to preserve its purpose of a platform for small communities.
15. Typepad
Typepad is a professional blogging service that was first published in 2003 and was one of the earliest examples of such a service. This explains its tremendous appeal to many journalists, writers, and media personnel – it is easy to use and very flexible. Typepad comes with design templates, lets users control every aspect of how the site will look, and allows for connecting to social networks. It has been seen as one of the best available tools for professional bloggers before Word Press grew in popularity. Typepad still provides a worthwhile platform, especially for those who want to mix basic blogging with their audience engagement strategies, despite the fact that operational levels have declined over the past few years.
16. Virb
Virb was introduced to the public in 2003 as a social networking site, but after 2010 it transformed into a website builder for creative people. Virb allows users to create and customize a website, including a blog, without the need to write any code. It was quite a useful tool for photographers, illustrators, and even musicians as it offered beautiful templates and included hosting for them. It hasn’t become as widely used as Squarespace or Wix, however, it is still preferred by artists looking to easily create portfolio or blog pages.
17. Weebly
Founded in 2006, Weebly is another do-it-yourself website builder with blog elements. It has a straightforward design, making it suitable for even the most inexperienced users. Like Squarespace and Wix, Weebly has proven to be quite effective for non-coders looking to create professional old websites or blogs due to its simple yet elegant interface. Since that time, it has added a number of additional functions to enable the provision of ecommerce integrating blogging and small business services. In 2018, Square, a fast-growing fintech also focused on physical retail, introduced stores under the Weebly Commercial brand. It contributed more features leaning toward online store operations and payment processing.
18. Wix
Founded in 2006, Wix soon became one of the best website builders. Like Weebly and Squarespace, it follows the drag-and-drop method so that one does not have to worry about programming skills while designing a website or blog. It has many designs and elements that are ready to use to create amazing looking blogs. The ease of use and design flexibility features have made them best for first-time users and small businesses. It has evolved in many dimensions, such as adding features, advanced features, such as links to eCommerce services and many apps integrations.
19. WordPress.com
In 2005, Automattic introduced WordPress.com, which is the commercial aspect of WordPress. Compared to WordPress.org (downloadable software), WordPress.com allows its customers to come up with a blog, and by that we mean all the processes that exist within a blog, without having to worry about any technical issues such as servers or even upgrading the software. It is suitable for those who want to create content without worrying about when and where the publication will take place. Free plan options exist for basic functionality; however, users can purchase additional premium features such as custom domain names and the use of different theme styles. It is easy to use for beginners but is not highly flexible when it comes to advanced features compared to WordPress.org.
20. WordPress.org
Launched in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little, WordPress.org can be described as a publishing system that has dominated the CMS market by the year 2024, with more than 40% of web pages being created on the platform. It is open source and available for everyone to download, which means anyone can install it on their web server and work from there. Thus, people have full control over their web pages. To add to this, WP.org stands out from the rest of the competition due to its range of available themes and attractive plugins, making it suitable for all users, whether the user wants to create just a simple blog or sophisticated e-commerce or forum or membership websites. It is most preferred by people who want to design and operate their sites “without any limitations”.
Read Also:
- Blogging Domain and Hosting
- 5-Stage Blogging Process
- Blogging and Uses of Blogs in Libraries
- Blogging With Tumblr
- Recommended Blogging Tools, Tips, And Resources
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